Four things have happened in recent weeks that make me wonder if we are somehow missing the woods for the trees.
Ok some of these following three story's don't cover themselves in glory but then again are they really aren't the worst thing in the world either (not in my opinion anyway).
The first is when England rugby player 'sledged' a Welsh rugby player and called him - wait for it - a gypsy boy'.
Big fucking deal!
It was in the middle of a rugby match ffs - it was probably the mildest of everything said that day but it earned the player saying it a £20,000 fine!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/35967459
The second story is when the head of British cycling (one of our most successful coaches ever who helped us win a basket full of gold medals over the last several years) over allegations that he concentrated his efforts on winning at the Olympics rather than bothering with those (women whose performance had factually declined, and para cyclists) who those who would not or not in the Olympics proper.
He told a woman who had failed to make the Olympic standard that maybe she should start a family instead and instructed the cycling track to be cleared of a para cyclist so that potential Olympic gold medalists in a few months time could get in the training they were there for - he is reported to have said 'get that gimp off the track'.
Ok nothing to be proud of but have we got to the level of primary school where all children get a 'medal' for sports if they are crap or not - or do we concentrate on those with real potential and those who don't have it, having to step aside for the good of it?
Whatever the answer - it cost him his job!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cycling/36153485
My third example is of 'positive' discrimination!
The Royal Shakespeare Company deliberately cast people into historic roles despite of their ethnicity.
OK a good thing in many a way I suppose but factually wrong and completely distracting from the play - did you know we had a part Nigerian Queen of England - even before Nigeria had been discovered!
The woman in the play was a good actress, but her and several other deliberately miscast ethnic actors simply did not add to the play, rather they took away from the play imo because all I could think is why have we got a black queen but with a white son!
It was just far too jarring for me - just for the sake of being PC?
Finally poor old Gazza.
Paul Gascoigne seems to have made a crap joke that has been said a million times before -
The Express & Star reported that the complaint centred on a remark the ex-England international is said to have made about a black security guard who was in a darkened part of the stage, about whom Mr Gascoigne allegedly said he could not tell "if he was smiling or not".
Ok it was better he hadn't said it but surely an apology was all that was required - instead he's being prosecuted!
I doubt Gascoigne is racist - I would have thought we would have heard whispers about it long before now if he was - but is it just me that thinks prosecuting him for 'racially aggravated abuse' is taking it a bit far?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-36451693
Is it me - are all the above the right thing to be doing or have we carried on this PC just a tad too far at times?
Ok some of these following three story's don't cover themselves in glory but then again are they really aren't the worst thing in the world either (not in my opinion anyway).
The first is when England rugby player 'sledged' a Welsh rugby player and called him - wait for it - a gypsy boy'.
Big fucking deal!
It was in the middle of a rugby match ffs - it was probably the mildest of everything said that day but it earned the player saying it a £20,000 fine!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/35967459
The second story is when the head of British cycling (one of our most successful coaches ever who helped us win a basket full of gold medals over the last several years) over allegations that he concentrated his efforts on winning at the Olympics rather than bothering with those (women whose performance had factually declined, and para cyclists) who those who would not or not in the Olympics proper.
He told a woman who had failed to make the Olympic standard that maybe she should start a family instead and instructed the cycling track to be cleared of a para cyclist so that potential Olympic gold medalists in a few months time could get in the training they were there for - he is reported to have said 'get that gimp off the track'.
Ok nothing to be proud of but have we got to the level of primary school where all children get a 'medal' for sports if they are crap or not - or do we concentrate on those with real potential and those who don't have it, having to step aside for the good of it?
Whatever the answer - it cost him his job!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cycling/36153485
My third example is of 'positive' discrimination!
The Royal Shakespeare Company deliberately cast people into historic roles despite of their ethnicity.
OK a good thing in many a way I suppose but factually wrong and completely distracting from the play - did you know we had a part Nigerian Queen of England - even before Nigeria had been discovered!
The woman in the play was a good actress, but her and several other deliberately miscast ethnic actors simply did not add to the play, rather they took away from the play imo because all I could think is why have we got a black queen but with a white son!
It was just far too jarring for me - just for the sake of being PC?
Finally poor old Gazza.
Paul Gascoigne seems to have made a crap joke that has been said a million times before -
The Express & Star reported that the complaint centred on a remark the ex-England international is said to have made about a black security guard who was in a darkened part of the stage, about whom Mr Gascoigne allegedly said he could not tell "if he was smiling or not".
Ok it was better he hadn't said it but surely an apology was all that was required - instead he's being prosecuted!
I doubt Gascoigne is racist - I would have thought we would have heard whispers about it long before now if he was - but is it just me that thinks prosecuting him for 'racially aggravated abuse' is taking it a bit far?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-36451693
Is it me - are all the above the right thing to be doing or have we carried on this PC just a tad too far at times?